By DANE LILLINGSTONE
BELINDA Wheeler’s book, A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature has reached number one on the Amazon Australian and Oceanian Literary Criticism best seller list.
Ms Wheeler was born and raised in Stanthorpe and moved to the United States in 2001 to further her academic career.
The book was released in August 2013 but last month it managed to crack the top spot on the Amazon list.
“I was a little surprised that the book made the number one position. Also, it was for the hardcover edition that has a high price point (US$80),” she said.
The sales for the book have been so strong that a paperback edition will be released on 1 August, and it is already listed as the number one new release in the same category on Amazon.
“Several universities and colleges in Australia, Europe, and the U.S. have adopted the books for their classroom, but I know several other institutions that plan to add the paperback edition to their reading lists,” she said.
Her interest in the subject is a passion that stems from a lifelong obsession.
“My uncle Michael introduced me to Indigenous culture from a young age. My specific interest in Aboriginal literature began in earnest after I read Doris Pilkington Garimara’s Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence while I was completing my Bachelor’s degree in English. Her book opened my eyes up to an aspect of Aboriginal life that I was not previously aware, i.e. the Stolen Generations. After completing her book, I started reading as much Aboriginal literature that I could find,” she said.
Ms Wheeler says that the success of her book is not just a personal achievement but a success for Australian Aboriginal literature.
“It means a lot to me that the hardcover edition and the forthcoming paperback edition are doing so well. It means that a) a lot of people from around the world continue to be interested in Australian Aboriginal literature and that is exceptionally important to me personally and professionally;
b) a lot of people believe that the book I edited is worthy of reading and that also means a lot to me personally and professionally,” she said.
“There have been a lot of excellent reviews for the book in the academic community as well as the non-academic community. That is important for any book, but it is especially important for someone’s first book.”
From humble beginnings in Stanthorpe to residing half way round the world in South Carolina, Ms Wheeler has not returned home since she left for the United States but admits there are things she misses.
“All my family lives in Australia, so I miss the country a lot. I also miss really simple things like the sound of a Kookaburra laughing, the sound that the wind makes as it blows through the pine trees on the Darling Downs, or seeing the kangaroos on the Stanthorpe golf course early in the morning,” she said.
Although the book has been a success, Ms Wheeler is not actually an author; she’s a university professor with three degrees including a PhD in English. Her advice for any would be writers trying to achieve similar success are not to give up.
“It might take you a while to complete your book, but if you believe in the project and you are true to the subject, then keep working on it until it is complete,” she said.
Her second book, A Companion to the Works of Kim Scott, is expected to be released early next year.
